Introduction

Whatever your career aspirations, your future begins in the College of Liberal Arts. Our courses and majors build toward exciting internships and co-op opportunities, offering practical, valuable work experience as you explore literature, languages, history, psychology, criminal justice, the social sciences, and more. The College of Liberal Arts integrates skills in effective communication in speech and writing, critical and analytical thinking, problem solving, and technological literacy - tools necessary for any professional career. Our courses train students to identify and evaluate sources of information in a world in which information is abundant; our students learn to use that information to analyze the arguments of others and to construct their own arguments in a broad range of disciplines in the humanities and social sciences. Students in the College of Liberal Arts are also trained to understand information in its cultural context, with course work in foreign languages and international studies. We offer degree programs at all Philadelphia area campuses as well as international options for study. In the College of Liberal Arts, you will be able to choose from among the nation’s leading scholars, professors who have connections both to the world of work and to graduate and professional schools.

Liberal Arts programs easily accommodate minors or certificates in other schools or colleges, allowing students to prepare for careers in business, law, medicine, media, government, education, and a variety of profit and non-profit organizations and institutions. Whether your interests lie in one of our many undergraduate majors, in the pre-professional programs of Law, Medicine, or Health Professions, or even if you are not yet decided on a major, your future begins here in the College of Liberal Arts.

In the College of Liberal Arts, scholarly excellence and originality are our highest goals. We offer a rigorous curriculum, but also demand that our students learn how to generate original ideas, in addition to learning from the faculty. Situated within a large and vibrant research university, the College of Liberal Arts is a wonderful place to pursue original research and contribute to the world of knowledge. Through rigorous courses, directed research, independent studies, and honors programs, undergraduates in the liberal arts are encouraged to develop their own scholarly projects. Such projects are a critical part of intellectual growth at Temple, and lead to excellence and success in all careers.

The College’s undergraduate programs prepare students to enter the world as informed, responsible citizens, as women and men making consequential choices about the future of their communities, and as leaders in the careers they choose to pursue not only immediately upon graduation, but ten, twenty and thirty years later as they move from one career to the next. Because a rapidly-changing technological society cannot prosper without men and women trained in the methods of logical inquiry, deductive reasoning, and critical analysis, the College holds fundamental assumptions about undergraduate education:

There are certain skills and concepts basic to all academic disciplines, and their mastery is essential for all subsequent study;

A liberal education should teach students how to learn;

Factual knowledge has value only when the methods of inquiry which led to its creation are understood.

The undergraduate Core Curriculum is based upon the skills and knowledge essential to a liberal education. In a world which every year becomes more complex and where information becomes more highly specialized, the ability to speak and write well—to communicate and describe ideas in language that is clear and precise—is the greatest asset of an educated man or woman. The increasing reliance of society upon numbers also requires the ability to manipulate numerical data, to recognize their misuse, and to understand the multiple interpretations they often permit. Informed judgment requires of the student an awareness of the diversity of cultures and knowledge of our intellectual heritage and the major texts through which that heritage is transmitted. Personal fulfillment rests upon the appreciation of truth and beauty manifested in the works of religion, philosophy, and the arts.

Baccalaureate programs in the divisions of the College of Liberal Arts—the social sciences and the humanities—lead from the Core Curriculum toward mastery of the subject matter, methods, and values of a chosen field, and prepare the students for life after graduation, whether students embark upon a career or further study in graduate or professional programs. In conjunction with the major, many students complete pre-professional coursework required for preparation for future studies in the health sciences, dentistry, law, pharmacy, or medicine. All of our programs offer undergraduates the opportunity to work with distinguished faculty and a richly-diverse and stimulating student body as they prepare for an active role in a future of change and challenge.

Accreditation

Departments and programs at Temple University are accredited by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education (www.msche.org). Individual departments and programs may carry additional accreditation by the official accreditation body for that discipline.

Special Programs

Center for Internships and Career Development

The Center for Internships and Career Development (CICD) links College of Liberal Arts students and faculty to organizations in the greater Philadelphia region in order to provide applied learning and career-oriented opportunities, as well as forums for engaged research. This also includes the development of experiential and career development programs and resources, including: internships (from smaller community-based organizations to larger non-profit organizations, from social services agencies to governmental agencies, from publishing firms to law firms), externships, volunteering, community service, building resumes, interviewing techniques, and matching the breadth of skills associated with a liberal arts education to concrete career paths and goals. Comprehensive manuals are also available for students, faculty, and departments. Contact the CICD to schedule an appointment.

First-Year Writing Program

The First-Year Writing Program comprises English 0040, 0041, C050, C051, and R050. English 0040 is a 4-credit course that focuses on writing within a single theme and disciplinary approach. English C050 is a 3-credit course that takes a broader perspective, requiring students to explore a single theme from the point of view of at least two disciplines and meets the Core Composition requirement. English R050 is the same as C050 except that the readings focus on the study of race. R050 meets the Core Studies in Race requirement as well as the Core Composition requirement. English 0041 and C051 are courses designed to meet the needs of the ESL (English as a Second Language) learner, and the guidelines for English 0040 and English C050 are followed.

English 0040 and C050 form a year-long sequence to introduce students to academic discourse. Entering first-year students are either placed into the 0040-C050 sequence, placed into C050 only, or exempted from these courses entirely. Placement is based on a formula which takes into account the results of the placement exam, DTLS reading and writing scores, high school rank, and the SAT verbal score.

Until students have completed their English 0040/41 requirement, they may not enroll in English C050/C051. English C050/C051 is a prerequisite for Intellectual Heritage X051 and X052 and any upper-level course in the College of Liberal Arts. English C050/C051 or R050 may not be taken for credit by students who have successfully completed English H090.

The Intellectual Heritage Program is a writing-intensive two-course sequence required as part of the University Core curriculum. Through encounters with some of the rich, complex, and historically significant texts that have shaped the culture we know in the United States today, students build reading, writing, and speaking skills and intellectual curiosity and engagement. Students become familiar with some of the key concepts and moments in Western and other intellectual traditions.

Intellectual Heritage is required of all entering undergraduate students. Satisfactory completion of the Core Composition requirement is prerequisite to IH X051. IH X051 is prerequisite to IH X052. Honors sections are offered as IH X091 and X092, respectively.

Study Abroad

Undergraduates majoring in any liberal arts discipline may pursue a large variety of study abroad options. Temple University has campuses in Rome, Italy, and Tokyo, Japan. We offer a program in London, England, and exchange programs with universities in England, Germany, and Puerto Rico. Summer programs are also offered in France, Ghana, Great Britain, Italy, Japan, and South Africa. In addition, CLA undergraduates can choose to study in non-Temple programs around the world. See International Academic Programs in Tuttleman Hall or www.temple.edu/studyabroad for more information about study abroad options.

University Honors Program

The College of Liberal Arts participates in two university-wide honors programs: the lower-division University Honors Program and the upper-division Honors Scholars Program. See Academic Programs/University Honors or www.temple.edu/vpus/programs_initiatives/index.htm#uh for more information about both these programs.

Departmental Honors Programs

Some departments in the College of Liberal Arts offer departmental Honors Programs. Students should consult the Undergraduate Chairperson in the selected department regarding eligibility and the Program requirements.

Teacher Preparation

A liberal arts education provides an excellent foundation for students interested in pursuing careers in teaching at the elementary and secondary levels. A solid grounding in academic content, along with broad training in critical thinking, analytical reasoning, and communication skills offers students a distinct advantage in the twenty-first century classroom.

Five-Year Combined B.A./M.Ed. Teaching Certification Program

Temple’s Five-Year Teacher Education Program provides an opportunity for students to obtain an undergraduate degree while simultaneously pursuing a Master's degree in education that leads to Teaching Certification in Elementary Education, Special Education, or Secondary Education for the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.

Students in the five-year program enroll in graduate-level courses beginning in the fall semester of the junior year. After completing their undergraduate degrees, students make a seamless transition into graduate studies for one additional year.

Eligible Majors:

Majors in most disciplines can apply for Elementary Education and Special Education Certification.

Temple Education Scholars

Each year a small number of highly-talented incoming freshmen with an interest in teaching are provisionally admitted to the Five-Year Program at the same time they are accepted to the College of Liberal Arts. Applications are submitted concurrently with the undergraduate Temple Admissions Application.

Selection to Ed Scholars is based on a student’s high school record, SAT performance, letters of recommendation, required essay, and interview. Ed Scholars begin the graduate component of the program in the fall term of the junior year.

Temple Law Scholars Program

The Temple Law Scholars Program provides an opportunity for outstanding students to gain provisional admission to the Temple University Beasley School of Law at the same time they are accepted into the College of Liberal Arts. As Temple Law Scholars, students spend their undergraduate years in Temple's Honors Program, after which they enroll in the Beasley School of Law, leading to the JD degree. Scholars will take advantage of special opportunities, including internships, mock trial competitions, attendance at special events and lectures, and sitting in on law school classes.

The Temple Law Scholars Program is highly selective. To be considered, applicants must be accepted into the Honors Program. High class standing, high SAT scores, and superior letters of recommendation are expected, as is an articulate, thoughtful essay. In addition, other criteria used in the decision-making process include above average maturity, community service, leadership, and a genuine commitment to the legal profession and service to others.

Application to the Temple Law Scholars Program takes place at the same time students apply to the College of Liberal Arts. The application materials include the Temple undergraduate admission application, the Temple Law Scholars application, a letter of recommendation, and an essay on a topic assigned by the Temple Law Scholars admissions committee. An interview may also be required. The deadline for receipt of all application materials is April 1. Applications received before March 1 will receive priority treatment

Honor Societies and Awards for Achievement

Awards

During the graduation season in May, the Baccalaureate Awards Ceremony is held to honor seniors who have demonstrated outstanding academic performance and/or exceptional service to the College. Junior scholarship recipients are also recognized at this annual event. These prizes are awarded competitively and are a testament to the excellence of the College of Liberal Arts undergraduates.

Phi Beta Kappa

President's Scholars

Student Association Information

Majors' Associations

Some of the departments within the College of Liberal Arts support student interest groups known as Majors’ Associations. These organizations may provide opportunities for students from the individual disciplines of the liberal arts to meet one another and to extend the learning experience beyond the classroom. Some of these associations invite their alumni back to campus to connect with current undergraduates and talk with them about the wide range of career options open to liberal arts graduates.

Participation in the majors’ associations has significant benefits. Active involvement cultivates skills in leadership, team work, and public speaking, all of which are highly valued in the workplace.

Special Facilities

Educational Technology Center (ETC)

General Labs

The Educational Technology Center (ETC), located in Anderson Hall Room 21, provides computing and media resources to faculty and students through out the University. A drop-in computer lab located in Anderson 21 assists students with course-related programs and computing needs.

Instructional Labs

The Center also boasts two instructional labs (AL 19 and AL 22), one production lab for Geographic Information Systems (GH 336), two labs for the social sciences (Gladfelter Hall 748 and Weiss 640), and two state-of-the-art foreign language labs (AC 103 and 104).

Media Learning Center

The Media Learning Center, a service of the College of Liberal Arts, is located within the Educational Technology Center in Anderson Hall, Room AL 21. The MLC provides audio, video, 16mm, slide, and printed materials for faculty use in the classroom. The center also provides facilities for students to view course related media.

* Open for classroom use only. All software and data are also available in the Anderson Hall AL-21 drop-in computer lab. To schedule a class or event in these labs, please contact cla.scheduling@temple.edu